It has been well over a month since we returned from our Los Angeles holiday, yet I haven’t shared much about it at all.

While I work through which parts to share, there is one part I really MUST talk about: DISNEYLAND.

It is the holy grail of holiday destinations for kids around the world and earned its title of the happiest place on earth. Entry tickets and hotels cost a fortune, but after our visit, I TOTALLY understand why everyone says you need TWO days to enjoy the attraction.

It was an amazing experience with so many surprises!

The biggest surprise was how much we all managed to enjoy the theme park, in spite of dragging along an almost 2-year-old. While the Little Mister might not remember much of it when he gets older, we certainly will remember how much he loved the rides, sights and food at the happiest place on earth.

What Did We See?

Where do I even start?!

Since Little Mister usually goes to bed around 7:30pm, I insisted we watch the Mickey’s Soundsational Parade at 4:30pm, which included characters from:

The Little Mermaid

The Three Caballeros

The Lion King

The Princess and the Frog

Aladdin

Peter Pan

Mary Poppins

And of course there was Sleeping Beauty’s castle. It was a lot smaller than I had expected, but it was still fun walking through the large gates into Fantasyland and Mickey’s Toontown.

We, unfortunately, missed out on the Fireworks at Disneyland, due to high winds. Thankfully we got to watch them from our hotel room the night before, so it wasn’t a total loss.

What Did We Do?

When we first arrived, I was overwhelmed by the sights and sounds that surrounded us. Collecting FASTPASSes did not even register on my radar, but don’t forget them! They were a lifesaver and enabled us to plan our day with minimum wait time. In the space of our ONE day, we managed to explore and ride on:

What Did We Eat?

I read blogposts that suggest bringing your own snacks to Disneyland, as food is expensive.

However I didn’t find prices in the theme park all that different from regular dining prices in Australia.

Sure, chowing down on multiple churros at USD4.95 a stick will burn a hole in your wallet very quickly for a family of four, but a good sized meal at French Market restaurant and Plaza Inn is between USD11 and USD15. Nonetheless, who wouldn’t want to take at least one bite out of a Mickey Mouse soft pretzel?

Mickey Mouse soft pretzels

Mickey Mouse soft pretzel

Although we brought a couple of snacks, we ate at:

Starbucks coffee at Market House on Main Street

Lunch at the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square

Dinner at Plaza Inn on Main Street

All the meals were actually quite good and lines moved quickly with ample seating, so it was not as painful an experience as expected.

Protips

Visit Downtown Disney either before or after your Disneyland adventure, as you won’t need a ticket to explore it.

Bring a water bottle and refill it at the water fountains scattered all around Disneyland.

If your little one is too little for a ride, ask for a Rider Switch pass from a cast member. It enables one adult to wait with children while another adult experiences the attraction. Then, the adults can switch so the other adult can experience the attraction—without having to wait in line a second time. This pass allows up to 3 adults to avoid waiting in line a second time.

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